This post about a free and versatile online text-to-speech resource is long overdue!  This is a service that deserves to be well known, and I’m happy to do whatever I can to spread the word.

YAKiToMe! offers a free online text-to-speech service that allows you to enter text directly, input document files, include feeds from RSS subscriptions to online periodicals (blogs, wikis, etc.), as well as  receive input directly from email accounts.  Supported file formats include .doc, .pdf, .txt, .html, .xml, and email.

The audio output files created by YAKiToMe! can be either .wav or .mp3.  You can listen to these  audio files online at YAKiToMe!‘s website.  Or, you can download the files for use either on your own computer or on a portable mp3 player such as an iPod.  In fact, you have the option of “podcasting” your audio files directly to iTunes.

YAKiToMe! creates your audio files with either AT&T Natural Voices or Microsoft Windows voices.  You select the voice, and you can set the rate at which the text is read.  YAKiToMe! offers even more that you may wish to explore.